Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand — Thailand’s military launched a second consecutive day of intensive shelling and airstrikes along its northeastern border with Cambodia on Friday, intensifying a crisis that has already displaced over 130,000 civilians and drawn growing international alarm. Artillery fire, cluster munitions, and BM-21 Grad rockets pounded disputed areas spanning more than 200 kilometers, igniting fears that a local skirmish could spiral into full-scale war.
The border flashpoints, centered in Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani and Surin provinces and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear regions, erupted after Thai soldiers were wounded in landmine blasts earlier this week. Thailand swiftly accused Cambodia of violating sovereignty and expelled its ambassador, while Cambodia maintained it was not responsible and accused Bangkok of using the incident as a pretext for aggression.
Fighter jets roared overhead as Thailand, for the first time in over a decade, deployed F-16 warplanes against Cambodia. Meanwhile, Cambodian forces retaliated with rocket salvos from the Russian-made BM-21 Grad system, targeting Thai positions near Ta Moan Thom, one of the many historical sites that have long fueled tensions between the two neighbors.
While military fatalities remain unconfirmed, Thailand’s health ministry reported at least 15 deaths—14 of them civilians—and 46 wounded, including 14 soldiers. Cambodia has acknowledged one civilian killed and several injured, though officials warned the toll could rise as fighting expanded across twelve contested sectors.
The exodus of civilians from border villages has reached staggering levels. Thailand’s disaster agency confirmed that over 100,000 residents have been evacuated to temporary shelters in nearby provinces, while Cambodian officials reported more than 1,500 families, many of them farmers, have been forced to flee their homes. Relief agencies warned that humanitarian conditions are rapidly deteriorating.
At the center of the escalation lies a tangled history of unresolved territorial disputes, opaque landmine diplomacy, and personal vendettas between political dynasties. Analysts point to a recent deterioration in ties between Thailand’s ruling Shinawatra clan and Cambodia’s Hun family, following the leak of a private call involving Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Observers believe the diplomatic fallout and accusations of corruption deepened mistrust on both sides, fanning the flames of militarism.
Despite mounting casualties, Thailand has rejected international offers of mediation, including from China, Malaysia, United States and Russia. Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura dismissed third-party involvement on Friday, declaring, “I don’t think we need any mediation from a third country yet.” Cambodia, in stark contrast, called the Thai attacks “premeditated aggression” and urged the United Nations Security Council to intervene immediately.
“The Cambodian people are the victim of calculated military aggression,” a senior official from Cambodia’s foreign ministry told local media. “We are defending our sovereignty and protecting our civilians under international law.”
An emergency session of the UN Security Council is scheduled for Friday night in New York, following a formal request from Cambodia. However, expectations remain low that concrete action will be taken given the geopolitical interests of Council members and ASEAN’s muted role in the conflict.
Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai offered no indication of de-escalation. Speaking to reporters Friday, he warned, “If Cambodia does not stop, the situation will only worsen. This is a matter of national security and territorial integrity.”
Rights organizations have condemned both sides for endangering civilians. However, questions are now emerging over Thailand’s use of controversial cluster munitions—a move that would violate international humanitarian law if confirmed. Cambodia has accused Thailand of firing banned weapons near populated areas.
The conflict marks the worst military exchange between the two Southeast Asian nations since 2011, when deadly clashes near the Preah Vihear temple killed dozens and triggered a brief diplomatic freeze. The region is no stranger to nationalist militarism and contested maps dating back to French colonial rule and International Court of Justice decisions that both nations interpret differently.
With no ceasefire in sight, the region now teeters on the edge of a prolonged and potentially destabilizing war, just as ASEAN’s influence wanes and global attention remains distracted by larger conflicts elsewhere.
According to Reuters, the fighting has rapidly expanded into multiple sectors and intensified in both scale and rhetoric. Cambodia’s appeal to the UN follows Thailand’s refusal of ASEAN-led mediation, underscoring a diplomatic impasse as civilians on both sides pay the price.
